Linda Suarez Patino, Kristina Putz, Thyracont Vacuum Instruments GmbH, Passau, Germany
Thyracont’s digital Smartline™ transducers with modern combination sensors measure in the range of rough to high vacuum, offering outstanding reliability and precision. Beside the classic analogue 0-10 V output, their digital interfaces RS485, EtherCAT and PROFINET allow intelligent connection to PLCs.
The transducers provide necessary parameters to support predictive maintenance via RS485 and via their PROFINET interface. This enables a direct integration into an existing PROFINET network with PLC, which can take over the entire monitoring of the process. All PROFINET transducers can communicate with OPC UA servers. They support MRP and a bidirectional, lossless data transfer between all components from individual I/O Signals to the ERP level and even to the cloud. The new PROFINET modules delivers data faster, uses less power, and can be updated in case of errors or new features.
Users of Smartline™ transducers can check the degree of sensor wear and corrosion, the time of the last adjustment as well as operation hours. Thereby, service intervals can be better planned, possible spare parts ordered in time and systems run times optimized. Naturally, all parameters can also be accessed by means of Thyracont’s VacuGraph^™-software.
With predictive maintenance via PROFINET Thyracont Smartline™ transducers establish a basis for industry 4.0. The functionality of these devices will remain geared to the latest standards of industry 4.0 in the future.